Method of and apparatus for forming articles



June 22, 1948. v. G. JARMAN 2,443,914

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 7, 1944 v 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR MGJARMAN A 7' TORNEY June 22, 1948. v. G. JARMAN METHOD OF AND APPARATU FOR FORMING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR |/.G. JARMAN T RNEY Patented June 22 1948 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS Foe FORMING ARTICLES Vincent G. Jarman, Watchung, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationJanuary 7, 1944, Serial No. 517,348

Thisinvent-ion relates to method of and apparatus for forming articles, particularly filaments forvacuum tubes. l

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple, efiicient and practical method of formin articles, particularly filaments for vacuum tubes, and an apparatus by theaid of which the method may be practised.

With these and other objects in view, the invention includes an apparatus having mechanisms for controlling the rotation of a mandrel about its axis for the carrying out of the steps of forming double convolutions of strand materials thereon, and to cause movement of the mandrel axially to form parallel leg portions for the article. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein i Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereof being shown in section and illustrating the apparatus at the completion of an article forming operation; l

.Figp2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus, illustrating the structure therein at the beginning of an article forming operation; 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 1, portions thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the forward portion of the apparatus, illustrating the positionof the mandrel at the beginning of the article forming operation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2, illustrating portions thereofinengaging positions; r

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken substantially along the line B6 vof..Fig. 5, but with portions thereof shown in, open ordisengaging positions, and

Fig. 7 is a. fragmentary top plan view of the mandrel at the completion of the article forming operation.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Fig. 1, which illustrates a main support l having spaced bearing supporting members M and I2, the bearings, l4 of whichrotatably support a spindle l5. The spindle I is provided with keyways l6 for connection with a pinion through keys j|8 carried thereby. The pinion I1 is thus fixed for rotation with the spindle I5 between the members H and I2, the

6 Claims. 4 (Cl. 140-71.5)

spindle, however, being adapted for axial movement relative to the pinion through the aid of the keyways I5. Parallel brackets 20 and 2| are mounted upon the support H] as indicated at 22 and 23.

A C-shaped bracket 24 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5) has its legs fixed to the brackets 20 and 2| and is supported thereby. A stub shaft 26 (Figs. 3 and 5) is secured to or formed integral with the bracket 24 and extends outwardly therefrom a given distance, provided with an annular groove 21 therein disposed short of the outer end thereof. A bevelled gear 29 is mounted upon the stub shaft 26 for rotation thereon but held against displacement by a pin 30 carried by a hub 3| of the gear and positioned to ride in the groove 21 of the shaft 26. A hand wheel 32 is mounted uponthe gear 29in a manner illustrated at 33 in Fig. 3. Through the aid of a handle 34, the wheel 32 together with the gear 29 may be rotated to cause rotation of the spindle l5 through the actuation of the pinion H.

A portion of the spindle l5, indicated at 3B, is threaded and adjustable stop members 31 and 38are disposed thereon, held in desired positions through the aid of screws 39. Retaining members 40, disposed in parallel positions upon opposite sides of brackets 20 and 2|, are secured to the brackets as indicated at 4|. Connecting elements 43, having threaded portions 44 adapted for interengagement with the threads of the portion 36 of the spindle I5, are disposed between the brackets 20 and 2| and the retaining members 40 and are provided with notches 46 in their side walls to receive and ride upon the retaining membars. The elements 43 are normally urged toward and in engagement with the threaded portion 36 through the aid of springs 41, the latter being disposed in aligned recesses of the elements and their respective brackets 20 and 2|, as shown in Fig.5.

A cam or actuating element 50, disposed betweenthe elements 43, is carried by a rotatable member 5| journalled in a member 52 carried by the adjacent retaining member 40 and provided with a crank 53 for manual actuation thereof. The general contour of the cam or actuating element 5!] is shown in Fig. 6, this figure illustrating the cam in the position to open the' elements 43 or move them away from the threaded portion 36 of the spindle. Through the aid of a stop 55, the crank 53 may be located in the open position.

The spindle l5 continues rearwardly from the threaded portion 36, providing a reduced portion 3 53 to receive one end of a spring 6|. The other end of the spring GI is supported at 62 by a bracket 63 of the contour shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bracket 63 is secured to the bracket 2| as illustrated in these figures.

The forward portion of the spindle I5 is reduced, asat. 6.5;.and. provided with a collar 66 and a chuck 63'. The chuck 5.1 is; aper-tured. as at 68 (Fig. l), to receive a mandrel ill, and through the aid of a screw H, the mandrel is; held in the chuck. The mandrel is oftheoontour illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and '7, having a'transverse" slot 73 in the'forward end thereof and apertures it and 75 at spaced positions; intermediate itst ends. The forward end of theimandrelilfl whem the latter is disposed in the chuck; projects through an aperture It in. a. vertical guide 11., Sheaves i8 and 19 are r-o-tatablysupportedat the upper end of the guide TI, as illustratedfinli'i'g sh 3 and i. Brackets 89, supporting vertical locating pins 8%, are mountedasatB-Z, upon the guideflfl. Lateral guidepinsrdt are alsoicarriedbythe guide 1'! at; spaced positions, upon each side. ofthe aperture it: onto which the. mandrel Ill. isldisposed.

The guide I? has-a slot: 8.5.therein to receive theforward end, of. a-loracket dfi to whichiit is secured. as a 81, the bracket being mountedas at 8.8, uponthe-supportt I0. A rodlafl, carried-by the support it and spacedfromthe bracket 86, .as illustratedzin Fig. 1., is secured, asatedto. the guide Ti andfur-then aids insupporting the guide. A tensioncontrol: element SI is slidablyt disposed upon the guide l 'I for; verticalzmovementlthereon and-carries clamps 92? atopposite sides-thereof. pivotally supported, at 93,- forgripping portions of a strand 3d between their-ends and the adj aoent Wallsof the element. Handle-portions 95;".iof the clamping elementsEl21may serve foruse inmanual actuationof the: elements; into: open position,- springs i155: engaging: these. handle portions; and carried in recesses in theacontrol*eleinentifl h for; normally urging the clamping; elements: 92: into their strand holding; or'clamping. positions; In the. present. embodiment the. strand: 94 is} a; wire. removed-J fromaaz supplm spool 98,5 and. formed: of suitable material ion use; irn making filaments; for.- vacuuin: tubes.

Considering now the i operation throughithe :aid of? which the; method smagv; be :pra'ctised; .let it: he assumed thatthe. spindle l5-lis:in-its:rearmost position, as illustrated inrFigssZrands l. The Wire or strand llmayvbe threaded through the". apparatusvby. drawing. a sufficient length thereof from the spool 98',- passing it OVGI'J-thShBELVBE 18*, .over the pins st', backof the'pins sl, through the. slot '53 I in. the -mandrel l9,- o-ve'ru the; sheave:- 79, and downwardly to a position .where itimaybe secured to the tensioncontrol element: 91.. Atthisttime both sides or portions-of thes'trand located ad-t jacent the control element 9| are secured thereto throughthe aid of theclamping: elements-92, The control element ll-l is at thistime-inits lowermost position, where it maybe held against further downward movement by suitable ameans (notshown) When the spindle I 5 is in its rear-'- most position; the stop member engages the elementsfiS; that is, the-adjacentfaces thereof; as illustrated in Fig; 2, The elements ld are in their closed positions in engagement Withthe threaded portion 36 of-the spindle: At this time the operator may rota:te thehand' Wheel' 321 a given number of revolutions counterclockwise (Fig; 1) depending "upon tl'ie number or: double convolutions desiredin the filament or article;

As an illustration, attention is directed to Fig. 7, where the double convolutions are indicated at I00. The double convolutions are formed through the rotation of the mandrel resulting from the rotation of the hand wheel transmitting rotation through the gear 29, the pinion I1, and the spindle: I5 During this rotation-. of thetspindle, the. pitch! of. the threads of the threaded portion 36 and the associated threads of the elements 43 zcontrols the pitch of convolutions I00 and thus determines the spaces between the convolutions thereof; Theaperture I4 in the mandrel is located at a known position, this being at the end of thaconvolutions; I'M. The apparatus is thus stopped atithie-z position, discontinuing the formingzotthes convlolutions I00, and at this interval a pin IllLis disposedin the aperture 14. Through the aidof" means hereinafter described, portions of theistrand or wire 94 are bent substantially at right angles about the pin Ill I, one leg, indicated at I02, extending. over the: pin, the other leg, indicated at I03, extending beneath the: pin. These legs or portions ofthestrand-areextended longitudinally of themandrel; asshown.in Fig; 7, to. points beyond the 1 aperture 1.5,. in which another-pinllldlisldisposedr Atvthistime a holding strand I [IS-is connected tothe pin IILI through a plurality of convolutions I06, wound; spirally about-the lmandrel and the legs I '02. and" I 0.3 to hold the latter. in. the-desiredplosition. relative to each other and the mandrel, andfinally wound about both-endsof the pin I 04' aseat l fl6 and- I01, to'secure-this end'of 'thestrand-IIIB, which-is in thepresentinstance awire, against displacementr The .portions of the strand ,Msare then-cut; -as-a-t I08, from the supply and this completes certain of; thestepssof the method rfor: forming; the article. Additional steps include annealing; of i the article; to cause-ititoretain the contour: into whichdt is formed, and finally removing thaarticle -iwhie-h Will il'lOllldGfllG:(10111)];8"COIIVOlMtiOIIS I I30- and the straight-J legs I 02,: and I03: proi eoting-- therefrom in; straight lines parallelwith; each other" and with the axis or center; line of therconvolutions I (We The: excess ends of-the-legs: I 02 and I03 may herremovewasdesired.

Duringcthe forming :of the article; the weight'of the element 9| creates a given'tensionin both ends of the strandsecuredithereto; As-the mandrel is rotated; these endsrare drawn-up. over the sheaves I8? and "I9rcon'trolled in their application to the mandrel through the aid of pins 8| and 83:

The means for rotatin'gtthe mandrel to. form the double 2 convolutions I Mi has i been described ascinc-ludingethe .:handiwhee1'= .32; thei gear 29 and the pinion I1. Means toocause formingioif the legs; I 021i and; I ll3 includes sth'e spring: 6 I l and ithe result' of 1 its .force; when-the elements :43' are: re leased from the threadedlp'ortionfifi 0f the-fspin die: The elements! 4 3e are irreiea'sed-l through-z the rotationiof the crank 532=from theip'osition l shown inFigzr-zrto'the position showninfigfl; where the cam 50 will move from the positioh shown in Eig; 5 to the position =shown? in Figs. 6,'.m0ving=1 the elements: 43 fr'ee or "theithreaded portion -36iand allowing the spring 6| to move the spind lefl5 forwardly 'a distancev under the 1 control oi the member '38; The member 38; whem moved to engage or'abut the elements 83; will stop the for ward-movement iof the spin'dle :I 5 and term'inate the formation-of the legsl'02 andi1l03s. Atithis time the-strand! 05 may be-wound about th'e "legs through theaid of th'etpins I01 and I049 7 After th'e-- forming oione'i articlie; the-mandrel lll supporting ib; as iIIuStrated in -Eig. 7; maybe removed from the chuck 61 and another mandrel inserted in place for use in forming the next arti- .cle. However, the apparatus must be set for the next forming operation. This is accomplished through the aid of the collar 66 for manual movement of the spindle I5 rearwardly until the stop member 37 abuts the elements 43, after which the lever 53 may be moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The spring BI is thus compressed and the new mandrel I0 is located to receive another portion of the strand in its slot 73.

It is, therefore, apparent that through the aid of the apparatus, the method may be practised assisted by a mandrel for forming double convolutions of a strand through the rotation of the mandrel on its axis and through axial movement thereof at a given speed comparable with the speed of rotation thereof for a given distance, then moving the mandrel axially free of rotation to form straight parallel legs of the strand. Additional steps include holding the article against displacement on the mandrel during annealing and setting of the portions of the article and the removal of the article from the mandrel.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of forming an article from a strand on a mandrel having a strand receiving portion and a pin receiving aperture spaced from the said portion, the method comprising connecting a part of a strand intermediate portions thereof to the said receiving portion, rotating the mandrel about its axis while moving the mandrel longitudinally of its axis to form a double spiral of given length of the strand portions, inserting a pin through the said aperture, and forming legs for the convolutions by bending the strand portions about the pin and extending them longitudinally of the mandrel.

2. The method of forming an article irom a strand on a mandrel having a strand receiving portion and a pin receiving aperture spaced (from the said portion, the method comprising connecting a part of a strand intermediate portions thereof to the said receiving portion, rotating the mandrel about its axis while moving the mandrel longitudinally of its axis to form a double spiral of given length of the strand portions, inserting a pin through the aperture, and forming legs for the convolutions by moving the mandrel axially free of rotation to bend the strand portions about therpin and extend them longitudinally of the mandrel.

3. The method of forming an article from a strand on a mandrel having a strand receiving portion and a pin receiving aperture spaced from the said portion, the method comprising connecting a part of a strand intermediate portions thereof to the said receiving portion, rotating the mandrel about its axis while moving the mandrel longitudinally of its axis to form a double spiral of given length of the strand portions, inserting a pin through the said aperture, forming legs for the convolutions by bending the strand portions about the pin and extending them longitudinally of the mandrel, and securing the legs to the mandrel.

4. The method of forming an article from a strand on a mandrel having a strand receiving portion and a pin receiving aperture spaced from the said portion, the method comprising connecting a part of a strand intermediate portions thereof to the said receiving portion, rotating the mandrel about its axis while moving the mandrel longitudinally of its axis to form a double spiral of given length of the strand portions, inserting a pin through the said aperture, forming legs for the convolutions by bending the strand portions about the pin and extending them longitudinally of the mandrel, and winding a wire about the legs and the mandrel to secure them together.

5. The method of forming an article from a strand on a mandrel having a strand receiving portion and a pin receiving aperture spaced from the said portion, the method comprising connecting a part of a strand intermediate portions thereof to the said receiving portion, rotating the mandrel about its axis while moving the mandrel longitudinally of its axis to form a double spiral of given length of the strand portions, inserting a pin through the said aperture, forming legs for the convolutions by bending the strand portions about the pin and extending them longitudinally of the mandrel, securing the legs to the mandrel, and annealing the article.

6. An apparatus for forming an article from a strand on a mandrel having a portion to receive a part of the strand intermediate its ends, the apparatus comprising a spindle having the mandrel removably secured thereto, means to rotate the spindle with the mandrel to wind both portions of the strand adjacent the said part on the mandrel, means to cause axial movement of the spindle with the mandrel during the rotation thereof to cause the windings of the strand portions to lay in overlapping spirals on the mandrel, and a spring having a force sufficient to move the spindle, and with it the mandrel, axially free of rotation to form straight legs of the portions of the strand adjacent the spiral windings, and means to render the spring effective.

VINCENT G. JARMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 500,279 Criggal June 27, 1893 1,227,659 Quackenbush et al. May 29, 1917 1,314,909 Sleeper Sept. 2, 1919 1,596,734 Higgins Aug. 17, 1926 1,874,575 Morick et a1 Aug. 30, 1932 1,970,599 Franke Aug. 21, 1934 1,973,667 Sleeper Sept. 11, 1934 1,999,654 Cobb Apr. 30, 1935 2,014,833 Burns Sept. 17, 1935 2,119,513 Peterson June 7, 1938 2,155,388 Anderson et al Apr. 25, 1939 2,163,019 Blount et a1. June 20, 1939 2,272,869 Herzog Feb. 10, 1942 2,371,780 Sirp Mar. 20, 1945 

